Issue 060

March 2010

Crossfit is a strength and conditioning methodology that has gained a huge following within the MMA community.  

Paul McVeigh is a sports scientist, professional fighter, Cage Warriors champion and is ranked the number one bantamweight fighter in Europe. He fights out of the Dinky Ninjas Fight Team in Glasgow, Scotland.  

The workouts themselves vary and are chosen at an almost random basis. One day could be devoted to one-rep max deadlifts, on the next day you might find yourself trying to complete a bodyweight circuit multiple times and on the next day you might be flipping tires and sprinting. Whatever workout you end up doing, do not be surprised if you end up twitching in a corner in a puddle of your own sweat and vomit; this stuff can be intense. 

The founders of Crossfit state that their workouts aim to improve the following physical qualities: cardiovascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination and accuracy. For mixed martial artists this sounds like a winning combination. So have we found the ultimate tool for developing athletes?  

The Good Bits

The sheer variety in the training modalities used will ensure that boredom is never an issue. Crossfitters get to lift barbells, throw medicine balls, sprint, jump, climb ropes, do Olympic lifts and more. All of these compound movements are great for athletes as they train the body to move as a unit while improving specific physical qualities.  

The workouts themselves are short and intense, often taking as little as five to ten minutes. For the time-strapped MMA athlete this is a big plus, allowing them more time to devote to skill training and rest. As well as being a great tool for improving your gas tank, the intensity of the Crossfit workouts has a positive effect on an athlete’s mental toughness. Training intensely prepares you for adversity. 

The way in which Crossfit workouts are assessed is also a plus point for competitive athletes. Most Crossfit facilities will have a whiteboard where they will list how long it took for each athlete to complete a workout. There is nothing like a little competitive rivalry during conditioning work to bring out the best in people. 

The Bad Bits

My biggest concern with this training methodology is the claim that it is possible to simultaneously develop two opposing physical qualities such as endurance and power. To optimize power development, maximal voluntary effort is required for a short number of reps followed by a significant rest period. Trying to achieve maximal voluntary effort while fatigued is impossible.

As I mentioned above, the training modalities used by Crossfitters are great. The way in which some of these modalities are used is sometimes inappropriate. The Olympic lift variations are designed to develop power in an athlete. Olympic lifting in the 15–20 rep ranges often starts to look ugly. Performing complex movements such as deadlifts, cleans and back squats while fatigued can screw up your lifting technique and increase the risk of injury.  

MMA Athletes are involved in one of the few sports in the world where the aim is to inflict injury on an opponent. Injuries are a part of the game and something we often have to work around, but getting injured in the weights room is unacceptable. I feel that the Crossfit programming sometimes takes too many risks in this regard.  

My Crossfit Experience

I trained using Crossfit methodology for about 12 months a couple of years ago and I loved it. The intense nature appealed to me (as it does to many MMA guys). I started coming away from it as I learned more about athletic development.  

If we take some of the scarier stuff out of the Crossfit workouts and add in some alternatives, I think we can come up with some pretty cool conditioning routines. So long as we see it for what it is: a conditioning tool and not a magic bullet for creating the ultimate athlete.

For the average person who wants to get in shape and look better in the buff I think Crossfit is cool. Anything that gets people moving more is a good thing. For those of you looking to maximize athletic performance for sport I feel there are better ways to go.  

A Cyclic Conditioning Circuit for MMA

Incline treadmill 45 seconds

Chin-up 6 reps

Med ball overhead throw 6 reps

Footwork and head movement 20 seconds

Incline treadmill 45 seconds

Clap push-up 10 reps

Med ball chest pass burpee 10 reps

Footwork and head movement 20 seconds

Incline treadmill 45 seconds

Walking lunge 30 steps

Split squat jump 20 reps Total

Perform all of this through with one minute’s rest before repeating. Work up to three or four rounds over a number of weeks.